Confessions Of A Broken Heart
by LoyalSonicandSephirothFan
Summary: Dante and Arista are having a typical demon-free day. But when Dante discovers a hidden picture, Arista has no choice but to tell him a painful incident of her past. Reuploaded


p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongAuthor's Notes:/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Hi! It's me again! I finally finished another Devil May Cry one-shot. It revolves more on my character, Arista, who begins to recall her relationship with her father. The story is based on the song "Confessions Of A Broken Heart" by Lindsay Lohan. It's a sequel to "SM", and I hope you like it./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongConfessions Of A Broken Heart/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" Arista stood by her mailbox one evening, scanning each of the letters she received. They were mostly bills, and some were letters from her family, three from her siblings and two from her twin nieces. She chuckled, amused by the two vibrant pink and blue letters having "Aunt Arista" in silver glitter. She moved onto the other items, checking out the coupons she received from numerous restaurants, and smiling when she got the magazines she ordered. Making sure there was nothing else in her mailbox, she garnered everything with one hand, pulled out her key from her pocket, and locked it. When that was done, Arista entered her home./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" Later, she was found relaxing on her plush green chair by her mahogany desk, quietly reading one of her magazines. A hand supported her chin while she examined every dress shown on the two pages she was looking at and checked the colors that were available for each of them. She twirled a strand of her ebony hair, her sapphire eyes glued to the page. Dante, who came to spend time with her after completing another demon-killing job, laid down on her dark green sofa with his arms behind his head./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I can't decide whether to pick olive green or some other green," Arista said./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'm telling you, babe, pick another shade of green," Dante answered./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Her eyes left the magazine and focused on him. "You just want me to buy the dress in a different shade because olive green reminds you of, well, olives."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dante rose to a seating position. "I hate olives, what did you expect?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista stared at him without moving. "We're talking about colors, not pizza toppings," she retorted sternly. Dante sensed her irritation, but it turned out to be playful anger when she shook her head and chuckled. She just couldn't ignore Dante's dislike for olive green. It was rather amusing./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Pick some other green, babe! There's emerald green, pine green, sea foam green, lime green, bright green, forest green...Uhhhhh, pea green-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Ewwww, no!" Arista cringed in an almost girly voice, a rare voice coming from her./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Ha ha ha! What, what did I say?" He laughed, loving how she reacted./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I hate pea green! You won't see me wearing that color!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Why is that?" Dante lightly slapped his cheek, pretending to be bewildered./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Because I stronghate/strong peas!" She stuck her tongue out and made a gagging sound./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""See what I mean?" Dante snickered. "Colors can be related to something that we hate." He jumped off the sofa and provocatively stretched his arms, causing Arista's face to grow warm. "Well, I'm going to get a drink. Want anything?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Get me some apple juice, please," she answered in a daze./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dante trotted to her desk, leaning flirtatiously. "You sure you don't want something...sweeter?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She returned his seductive smirk with a teasing smile. "Oh I want something sweeter..." Then she grinned mischievously. "Get me some kiwi lemonade instead!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dante's smirk collapsed. He almost turned away until Arista pulled him back and planted a kiss on his lips. "I'm kidding! Nothing is sweeter than what you can give me. But seriously, I want kiwi lemonade, please."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes, Princess," Dante said mockingly and bowed in a dramatic style before marching out of the office./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" He entered Arista's kitchen down the hallway, ready to prepare their drinks. As he opened the lime green refrigerator, Dante sneered. He forgot Arista despised beer, so he had to settle for either lemon-lime flavored water, limeade, kiwi lemonade, or green apple juice. Aside from the orange juice, milk, and plain water, Dante noticed that even green dominated her beverages. Before he made his choice, he opened the cabinet next to him to grab a couple of glasses. When he selected them, Dante opened the freezer above, curious to try out one of the strawberry sundaes Arista bought recently. He longed to taste the creamy strawberry ice cream, topped and stuffed with sweet strawberries, all topped with a mountain of whipped cream. The glasses were carefully placed on the counter, and he opened the drawer below a cabinet to grab a spoon. He returned to the office with their drinks and the sundae, and handed Arista her lemonade./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Thanks."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No problem. Hey, did you order my magazine?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yeah." She took a sip of her lemonade as she read her magazine. "It arrived this morning. It's on my bed."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Thanks." Dante placed his sundae on the coffee table and hurried upstairs to retrieve the magazine./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" When he arrived to the bedroom, he smirked at the cover, admiring the shiny black and red motorcycle. However, when he reached for it, he noticed a thin green object peeking from under the pillow./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Hmmm?" Dante lifted the pillow, soon realizing it was a picture frame faced down. He grabbed it and discovered a picture of a man. It piqued his curiosity as Dante examined him. The man had a calm and gentle smile, his neck-length dark auburn hair neatly combed. His blue eyes were subtle like his smile, and he seemed to be wearing a black polo sweater./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What are you doing?!" Arista demanded, her eyes intense with ire as she stood by the doorway./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You're full of surprises, Rissie. Is this your ex-boyfriend?" He teased with fake jealousy./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista snarled. "That's my father!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He blinked, baffled. He didn't see that coming. "Father?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista snatched the picture from Dante. "Yes, and I don't want to talk about it. I don't think I can."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dante blinked, assuming the worst. "Is he...?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No. He's alive. I just don't think I'm ready to tell you about that bastard."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A chuckle crawled out of Dante's lips. "He didn't see you as daddy's little girl or what?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Dante, I don't want to talk about it!" Dante didn't expect a rare outburst coming from this kind of subject. Arista still looked like she was about to explode, but she closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Babe?" Dante stepped closer, but Arista turned away, her trench coat roughly flowing behind her. She silently left the room./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dante raised an "What was that all about?"/em He followed her out of the bedroom without bothering to ask her about this. When he relaxed on the sofa, Dante almost uttered a word, but stopped. He didn't want to risk making Arista angry after her unexpected outburst./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" Her mind began to drift away as she gazed at the picture of her father, slowly leaning on her chair. The silence broke once Arista's cell phone emitted its rock themed ringtone. She placed her picture on her desk, and swiftly unzipped and dug into her coat's pocket, pulling out her green cell phone. With one tap, she took the call./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Hello?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista, it's Halcyon! Demons are all over the park, and I could use some help!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista's eyes widened. "Hang on! I'll be right there!" She hung up and rushed to her stand that held her axes./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Babe, what's wrong?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Demons." Arista placed her golden axe Sol into her coat's interior sheaths alongside its blue partner Luna./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""So we're going to have some action-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Dante!" Arista abruptly interrupted him. He was taken aback by the outburst. She took a deep breath and held her double-sided platinum ax Esther. "I'll do this myself. I'll see you later."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" Two long hour of fighting demons took all of Arista's energy as she returned home, with bruises all over her body, shredded clothes, and an exhausted expression. Dante apparently never left and would have said a snarky remark, but he straightened up without uttering a word. He never saw Arista this injured and weary before./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Rissie, what the hell happened?" Dante asked in concern./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Weak sapphire eyes made their way to him. "An army of demons...A large one that I wasn't prepared for at all." She locked her door and lingered through the office, dropping her weapons onto her desk and forcing herself upstairs. "Place my axes on their stand for me," she murmured wearily. "I need to rest."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" Arista let out a soft yawn, fully rested and almost healed, and stretched out her arms. She sighed, feeling refreshed. Then she squeaked when she noticed Dante sitting on her bed./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You okay now? It's been two hours."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista rubbed her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Now I wish my father trained me for demon armies." She grinned awkwardly. She frowned and rolled off her bed. "He would have done so if we hadn't-..." She cleared her throat. "Follow me. I'll try to tell you about my father."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dante followed her back to the office as Arista held the picture of her father close to her. "So...What was your dad like?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista smiled lightly and rested on her plush chair. "He was the sweetest father I've ever had. I remember when he stayed up one night to comfort me because I had a nightmare about demons-"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Wait...You were scared?" Dante smirked./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista puffed her cheeks, holding back her vexation. "I was four years old!" She exhaled, and brought herself back on track. "Anyway, I remember one time when my father tried to comfort me..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongTwenty-Four Years Earlier:/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" emAleron/emem hurried out of his room when he heard a child screaming, hastily putting on his black robe as fast as possible. He raced down the hallway on a stormy night, thunder and lightning booming outside. A little girl at around four years old cried as she dashed down the hallway, wearing light green pajamas and slippers with white hearts./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Daddy!" She wailed, her black pigtails bouncing on her shoulder as she ran to her father crying. Aleron kneeled and hugged her tightly. "Daddy, I had a bad dream!" She sobbed uncontrollably. "Demons were chasing me and they tried to hurt me!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Shh, shh, shh. It's okay, Arista," Aleron assured her with a soothing voice. "Demons won't hurt you. It was just a nightmare. You're safe with me." He wiped his daughter's tears, but her azure orbs continued to produce more of them./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Aleron, what's wrong?" A woman with long black hair and green eyes asked, tying up her green robe./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista had a bad dream."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Oh my," she said sympathetically and reached to them. Arista sobbed, cuddling her father for protection. "Arista, it's alright." She patted her head. "Nobody will hurt you...If you want, would you like to sleep with us?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emArista sniffed. "I-I can't go back to sleep now."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emAleron stroked her hair, holding her close. "Kalila, would it be alright if we stayed up for a while until she's ready to go to sleep again?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emKalila pondered for a brief moment, but nodded. "Alright, but don't stay up too late, Arista."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Okay, Mommy," Arista replied, drying her tears./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongPresent:/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" Dante watched the devil huntress sigh to herself, unable to continue with her story. All she did was gaze at the picture that she held, and simply left her chair and walked away./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I need to be alone for a while."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" She climbed up the stairs, and disappeared into her bedroom. She sat on her bed as she caressed the picture of her father, drifting deep into her thoughts once more. The frame was placed on her bed while she opened the drawer next to her, pulling out a familiar black polo sweater. Memories came flooding back to her once again while she took a look at the sweater./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongTwenty-Four Years Earlier (continued):/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Hey, Arista," Aleron spoke as he carried his daughter downstairs. "I think I know a way to help you forget about that bad dream. Would you like me to try it?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emArista nodded. "Yes, please."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Well, you'll love this." Aleron grinned and reached to a door between a couple of plants. "I was going to show you when you were older, but I don't want my little girl to have insomnia." He nuzzled her, making her giggle./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" emAleron/emem inserted a key and unlocked the door. He switched the ceiling lamp on, revealing what appeared to be an office, including a mahogany desk polished to perfection and a book shelf with a myriad of books occupying half the wall behind the desk and its black leather chair. Plants were near the door, by the corners of the room, and above the door, decorating the room with white camellias. Arista began to feel uncomfortable, recalling how her nightmare resembled the setting she was currently in, but slowly relaxed when she realized her father was with her unlike in the dream./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" emWeapons/emem hung on the wall to the right, covering almost every inch of it. The other wall opposite from the weapons had a variety of pictures featuring Aleron and Kalila together, either smiling and doing several poses together or fighting demons. Some pictures were of their childhood memories and some even included Arista when she was a baby./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Daddy, is this your secret room?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Yeah, kind of, but it's only secret from the world." Aleron chuckled and placed Arista down, closing the door behind him. "You know about your heritage, right?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Yes. Mommy said I'm a half-angel, and that she fights demons with you."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Mmm-hmm! Well, what she hasn't told you was that you will someday fight demons to protect the world."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emArista gasped. "Fight demons?! B-B-But Daddy! Demons are scary!" She whined, lowering her head in shame. "I admire both of you, but how can I fight them? I'm too afraid of them...I don't think I can ever be as brave as you and Mommy."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emAleron ruffled her hair. "Awwww, don't say that. I know that one day you will be just as brave as us."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emArista glanced at her father. "Mommy believes I have potential when I'm older. What's 'potential'?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emAleron led her to the wall of pictures, focusing on them as he spoke. "Potential is when you show how you can become something in the future and what you're capable of doing. Mommy and I believe that you will someday become a devil hunter like us to stop demons from hurting people. It's our job to protect the world."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"But...I'm scared. I don't think I have potential."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"You may feel that way, but if you try very hard to overcome that, demons won't be scary to you anymore." Arista remained unconvinced, unsure if she would ever be capable of that. "You're young right now, but Mommy and I will be there for you to help you grow..." He blinked when he didn't get an answer and looked away from the pictures. "Arista?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" emHe/emem noticed Arista standing in front of a large green trench coat hanging next to the book shelf and right behind the leather chair. The coat was accompanied by two small axes on one side, one navy blue and one golden yellow. A long and large platinum ax was on the other side, its double-sided head reflecting the lamp's light. Arista touched the coat, awestruck by how it was trimmed with dark green vines accompanied by white heart-shaped leaves./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Ahhh, you like the trench coat." Aleron stood behind Arista./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"It's green!" Arista giggled, holding one of the forest green cuffs and admiring the vines and hearts. "It looks a lot like the one Mommy wears too."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"I'm glad you love it because I made it just for you. It's yours." He then chuckled. "Well, it will be yours when you can fit into it."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emArista twirled around with beaming eyes. "Really?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Yes, sweetie! That coat will be yours someday, along with the axes. They're perfect for a future devil huntress."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Do you really think I can become as brave as you and Mommy?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emAleron's loving smile grew bigger. "I know you will. We will prepare you for the future."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"When I grow up, I want to be a strong angel like both of you!" Arista cheered./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Yeah." Aleron patted her head. "Like both of us."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongPresent:/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""We were always close," Arista spoke softly to herself, removing her trench coat and white, silver, and baby blue camouflage shirt, tossing them on the bed in favor of the polo sweater. She checked her reflection, feeling comfortable with the sweater./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Arista?" She noticed via her mirror that Dante stood by the doorway./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She sighed. "Dante, I told you I wanted to be alone."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I know, but I can't stand seeing you like this. What's the matter?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" Before she could tell him to just leave, Arista sighed in defeat and turned around to face her boyfriend, taking the picture frame from her bed. He deserved to know the truth./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""My father and I haven't spoken to each other for a year now..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dante blinked. "Then talk to him."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""It's not that simple, Dante. Yes, I miss him..." She looked away, and growled, "But I am still so angry at him." She formed fists by her sides, burning rage coming to light./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Want to talk about it...?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista was still reluctant, but she soon surrendered and gained self-control. "It happened right after my mother disappeared...when my father confessed that he was a demon..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongOne Year Earlier:/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Father...How could you?!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista, I can explain."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"I can't believe you!" She screamed from across the living room. Her two younger sisters, her little brother, and her two nieces stood in the middle of the room. "You're telling me that you're actually a demon?! How could you lie to us after all these years?!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista, please! Just listen to me!" Aleron begged. "I tried to tell you! I tried to tell all of you the truth about me, my friends, everything! I just needed time."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Oh, how much time?! Thirty more years, the same amount of time you took to finally confess to anyone, especially Mother?! And you picked today, of ALL days, to tell us now?!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Please, I can explain." He tossed his black trench coat towards the couch, leaving him with his slate gray shirt, navy jeans, and black boots. "Listen, I know I haven't been honest with you-"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Oh you think?! What kind of a father lies to his own family about his species?!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emAleron shot a finger at her. "Don't use that tone with me, young lady!" He scolded, beginning to match her fiery anger. "I wanted to come clean! I wanted to make things right, but I didn't have the courage to tell any of you about this, especially your mother!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"It wouldn't have killed you to tell us sooner! Mother deserved to know years ago, we all deserved to know who you really-" Arista paused with a sharp gasp...then growled viciously. "Are you the one responsible for her disappearance?!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"What?!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"You did say you've been hanging out with other demons, who are your friends. That disgusts me!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Those two wouldn't hurt anyone! They're by my side. It's the others you should be worried about, not them."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Who are you working for? Did you plan this with the other demons?!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista, please! I only spend time with them to stop them from doing anything horrendous! But they don't know that my friends and I turned against them."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Is this why you were gone often? Because you were with those demons?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Yes," he confessed helplessly./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Are you sure you're not working with them?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista, I'm not doing anything with them! Honest. My friends and I are just keeping our plans a secret."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Stop lying to this entire family! Tell me the truth, you son-of-a-" She suddenly bit her lip. Her two four-year-old nieces Calliope and Calypso shouldn't hear such profane language from their aunt. Their green eyes quivered as they stood behind their mother, whom they strongly resembled minus the fact her eyes were blue and her dark auburn hair was longer than theirs. The twins tugged onto her orange dress./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista, that's enough," the twins' mother replied. "Not in front of the girls!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Halcyon, stay out of it!" Arista ordered./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"This won't solve anything! Just calm down."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Halcyon," Arista hissed./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emThe youngest girl with a long black braid, ruffled yellow dress, and green eyes whimpered. "Father wouldn't do anything to hurt Mother."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"How can you be so sure, Stella?! It's no coincidence that she disappeared when Father suddenly had the guts to confess that he's a demon. I swear he did this! If this is true, then why didn't he leave those creeps?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"I didn't leave them because it's the only way for me to find out about their longtime scheme to take over Earth."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"You're lying!" Arista exclaimed, refusing to believe any of the things Aleron kept telling her./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"We know you're angry," the youngest of the siblings replied, a teenage boy with short dark auburn hair and blue eyes, dressed in a simple brown shirt and jeans. "But Father didn't cause this, sis. He could be telling the truth."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emArista faced her brother directly. "Phoenix, Father deceived us all our lives, so don't try to defend him by believing what he's saying! After all, he could be telling us more lies!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"I love your mother!" Aleron yanked Arista, clenching her by the shoulders. "You think I would harm the woman I love?! Is that what you believe I've done just because I'm a demon?! You think I'm evil and planning to harm any of you?! You're wrong, Arista. I love all of you, and I'm just as worried about your mother as you are." Aleron's eyes became moist, signaling unshed tears. "If something happened to her, I would never forgive myself," he remarked unsteadily./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emStill reeling with fiery ire, Arista pushed her father away, breaking the grip he had on her. "Mother wouldn't have let herself get captured like this! She never lets her guard down and she isn't weak. Face it, Father! You were a part of this. I'll find out what happened to Mother, and I know everything will point to you. And when that happens, you will pay!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista, you have to believe me! I would never hurt her," he sobbed. It agonized him to lose his eldest daughter's trust. He reached out for her./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emShe smacked his hand away. "Get out...!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emAleron gasped by the abrupt response. The rest of the family shared his shock. "Arista, you don't mean that." Aleron shook his head, forming a smile as sweet as he could. He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, trying to restrain his anxiety. "It's me, your Daddy, remember?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emShe slapped his hand away. "I am not your little girl anymore," she remarked in such a dark tone it frightened her nieces. She swung her arm, pointing right to the door. "Get out! Now!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista!" Stella shouted./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Shut up!" Arista shouted back, startling her youngest sister./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista!" Aleron cried. "Please, I didn't do anything to your mo-"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Get out! I never want to see you ever again! I've had enough of your lies! If you can't confess what you did, then fine! Live with your guilt, but I won't allow you to deceive anyone else in this family!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"I said get out!" She growled through tight teeth. Her eyes slowly turned red, something that horrified Aleron./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"No...! Arista, I'm begging you to reconsider!" He hastily exclaimed. "Please calm down-"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Get out and never come back!" Aleron witnessed her eyes in a bright red hue. Tears rained down his cheeks and his heart completely shattered. He sobbed and ran to the door, slamming it behind him. He never returned. He was gone./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" emThe/emem eldest daughter of Kalila lowered her arm, panting fiercely. Rage surged inside her, rage that built up when she discovered the whole truth. She still had questions, but she believed the answers pointed to her father. Halcyon's daughters snapped her out of it when she glanced at her family. They were all afraid, but the horror in Arista's nieces didn't match that of her siblings. At first, it baffled her, but with one look at the mirror behind them, she saw her furious expression along with her glowing red eyes. Just looking at herself shocked her; her nieces had the right to be terrified. Her fury subsided, her eyes reverted back to blue, and her expression softened./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" emArista/emem feared that her siblings and nieces would also ask her to get out for what she had done and how she had done it. They were all disappointed as they stared at her. She didn't wish for her siblings to hate their sister, and didn't wish for her nieces to be afraid of their aunt./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emShe whimpered and sobbed. Tears were so close to leaving her eyes. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." She was about to run off in shame, but Halcyon grabbed her by the wrist and hugged her./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Arista...You were trying to protect us, I get it...But you have to understand. We can't be sure if Father kidnapped Mother."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emShe sighed. "Very well. You may believe what you want, but don't expect me to believe everything he said. I don't want to see Father again. Ever! I'm sorry if it sounds coldhearted, but...I just can't deal with him. You can, but leave me out of it."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHalcyon rolled her eyes. "You can't cut him out of your life!"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Halcyon!...Just don't, okay...? You can still contact him, but I never want to see him or talk to him again."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emHalcyon sighed. "Okay. If you say so..." Phoenix remained silent, never facing Arista. It hurt that they were mad at her, but she couldn't blame them. Her focus changed to Stella, who stepped back with a saddened expression./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Stella, I..."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"I should go." She left the living room without another word./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emPhoenix regretted staying quiet. He couldn't stay angry at Arista. He understood why she was furious. "I'll go talk to Stella." He shortly disappeared from the living room./em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Aunt Arista...?" The twin with the pink flower dress and pony tail lingered towards her. "You're not going to yell anymore?"/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"No, Calypso, I'm not going to yell anymore...I'm sorry, you two." She knelt down and hugged her nieces. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emThe one with a blue shirt and jeans glanced at her. "We know...We still love you."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Calliope...thanks. I won't scare you like that again. I promise."/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongPresent:/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I never saw him again..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""That's rough..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yeah...Halcyon and the others hated what I did, but lucky for me, they never hated me. Especially not Calliope and Calypso. They wouldn't hate their aunt..." Arista sighed and sat on the edge of her bed, gazing at her father's picture. "I'm a terrible daughter..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""That's not true, Rissie." Dante sat next to her. "These family issues happen. It did for me and my brother."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I cut my father out of my life, yelled at my siblings, told my youngest sister to shut up, and scared my own nieces!...You should have seen how I acted." A tear slowly trickled down her cheek. "My father must hate me. I'm still mad at him, but deep down, I still love him. I love my father so very much I want him back."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dante hugged her once she couldn't continue, struggling to prevent herself from crying. "It's okay. No tears."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista cleared her throat, accepting his embrace. "It hurts to think that he might hate his own daughter. If only I had listened to him. Things would have been different between us. We would still be close. As crazy as this might sound, I kind of believe he might have never loved me. I mean, I've always been hotheaded and easily irritable. I mean, he didn't even bother to contact me after all this time..."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Arista..." She remained quiet after she lowered her head; Dante frowned. Maybe this was the time to truly give her space. But before he could, he kissed her cheek. "Your father loves you. From how you described him, he always loved you. Hell, he might be thinking about you right now. He's probably just waiting for emyou/em to reconnect with him."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista looked at him as her eyes lit up, a tear trickling down her cheek. "Maybe...But I don't feel ready. Not yet."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dante nodded. It was best for her to take her time. "I guess I should go." He stroked her cheek, his thumb drying her tears. "If you want to talk about this some more, my door's always open. You're my girlfriend, after all."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Arista smiled lovingly. "Thanks, Dante."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'll see you later, babe." Dante hurried down the hallway and then exited her home./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" Alone at last, Arista stood up and rested on her window seat, watching Dante enter his place just across the street. She replayed the last memory she had with her father. Guilt pierced her heart since her final memory was of her yelling at him for all the secrets he kept from his family. It sent her nothing but remorse as she dried a tear. Was her father responsible for her mother's disappearance? Did he mean it when he told Arista he would never do anything to her? Did he mean it when he said he wouldn't hurt her or her siblings and nieces if she hadn't driven him away after she exploded in such a manner that she now came to regret this very moment? So many questions, so little answers. With one last glimpse below her window where her mailbox stood untouched, she anticipated the postman. But nobody came./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She hugged the picture of her father, and allowed her tears to quietly fall. "Daddy..."/p 


End file.
